Always
by Crystal Delphina
Summary: The four part examination of the evolution of Spike and Faye's fragile and confusing relationship throughout the series. Spike's point of view during their rare moments of intimacy. Companion piece to Never. Parts: Tiger Claws, Tiger Eyes. Please R&R.
1. Part I: Tiger Claws

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Cowboy Bebop in any sense and simply watch and write about it for my own pleasure and the pleasure of others.

Tiger Claws

By Crystal Delphina

Completed: June 28, 2006

-- -- --

_She's an intriguing creature._

It was sweltering within the ship. For some unknown reason, the cooling system had malfunctioned, leaving the sweaty and disgruntled members of the crew to rely on fans; fans that only served to move the stale, muggy air, in small pathetic currents.

Faye Valentine moved to target the fan's gentle breezes directly onto her face, trying to ignore the annoying 'buzz' the device created. She also attempted to disregard the fact that her white tank top was sticking to her as if it was a second skin.

"I'm leaving. That damned part is finally in Millin's shop." She looked up to see Jet walking out the door towards the hanger bay. "Tell Spike so he knows."

"Sure." She gave a small wave of acknowledgment of his departure, not bothering to turn to see him leave.

"Edward's going too. Bye byes Faye Faye," came the shrill voice of the young red head bounding after Jet. Faye halfheartedly listened in as Jet argued with Ed about her decision of coming along as they both made their way to the bay. She produced a wry smile when the older man gave up.

Resenting the fact she had to leave the droning of the fan behind, she departed the couch to deliver her message to her shipmate.

_I know the meaning of tolerance. Despite what she may think..._

"Where has he been for the past hour anyway?" she mumbled to herself as she walked the halls towards his room.

She emitted an annoyed sigh and roll of her eyes when she found he was not residing within the dark room. She desperately wanted to return to the fan and the small amount of relief it offered from the heat.

_I was only tolerant of her in the beginning. Honestly, I couldn't stand the woman. Yes, she was intriguing, but that was all I saw going for her. I sure wasn't buying the whole gypsy thing._

It wasn't a surprise when she didn't find him at the helm of the ship either. Of course he would never be in some easily located position so she wouldn't be forced to search every room of the ship. Oh no, because that wouldn't be proper use of his unique abilities to annoy her to no end. At least she knew she could always depend on those special talents of his.

_I've grown to appreciate her I suppose. I'd be lying though if I said she was dependable._

The decision to give up came easily when the level of frustration with the heat and the missing man were too much to continue bearing. He could come find her. Besides, the tempting winds of the fan were calling.

That was until she heard the much closer, much more tempting, sound of running water.

_She's an intriguing creature. However, I suppose all women are filled with intrigue. It's a dirty weapon they have on their side against the whole species of males. A dirty, rotten, no good trick._

She stopped outside of the bathroom door, and then knew exactly where her partner in crime had been hiding out.

_And she is a master of trickery._

"Bastard," she hissed through clenched teeth. While she had been suffering the heat, he had been in the cold water for nearly an hour. She cursed herself mentally for not coming up with the same idea earlier.

_And as you all should know, to fool the master at her own games is always extremely fulfilling._

Jabbing at the keypad beside the door with her index finger, the door slid open with a small hiss, allowing her access to her enemy's hiding spot. Stepping inside, the much cooler air assaulted her body, relieving some of the heat within her skin. The sound of the water became a calming background noise that began to disperse the frustration that had built up over her relentless searching.

_But trickery eventually leads to betrayal on some level. I'm curious as to how many people she has betrayed._

Finally, after a few moments of basking in the mist, she decided to complete her mission of delivering her message.

_I wonder if we're going to end up betraying each other, now that I think about it._

She took her time as she made her way to the other side of the room. The shower was located behind a dividing wall, allowing her to sneak up on her prey without visual detection.

_But to betray someone, they have to have trust in you. I don't trust her._

When she finally rounded the wall, she was happy to find his back was to her. He was completely oblivious to the additional presence in his watery solitude.

_I can bet my ship that she doesn't trust me either. So no problems in betrayal should arise as I see it._

In fact, his hands were pressed to the wall in front of him supporting his weight as he leaned against it to allow the water to cascade down his back. Head bent down, eyes closed, wet curly hair hanging down around his face – Spike would be at her mercy.

_But she's sure a lot of fun. Although she's annoying, it's much more fun with the extra tension in the ship. **All **of the tensions between us._

Although she would never tell him, because the retort would be a smug smirk, she was very appreciative of his body. She gave a coy smile as the water outlined his muscles further as they flowed in small rivulets down the crevices created by well-toned muscles. Water flowed down arms that had helped pin her to beds, down a back she had held on tightly to many a time, across an abdomen that she had left kisses on, and down legs that had wrapped around her own. She had come to learn this body in front of her very well, more so than she had ever imagined when first meeting it

_I kissed her first; I'll admit it. But it was because she just wouldn't **shut up**. Kissing her seemed to be the only reasonable thing to effectively shut her up. I did it just to shock her, which the kiss had done effectively. But..._

He appeared to be sleeping beneath the shower, his eyes closed and his breath intake barely visible. He wasn't expecting a thing. He was completely vulnerable. It was her chance to strike.

_I didn't pull away. I couldn't. I was captivated by how a woman with such a foul mouth and temper could have such soft lips. But her eyes remained fierce with first shock, then indignation, and finally excitement._

Total relaxation prompted the man to give a small mental smirk when he knew that the others were suffering in other various parts of the ship from the heat. It wasn't his fault he had reached the shower first and that they had never thought of it themselves.

_You must keep an eye out for her hands. She'll bring one hand up for an unexpected slap, or quickly switch cards on you so you're doomed to lose every time._

He was quite content, when he was suddenly pulled from his mental languidly by the sensation of hands pressed against his back and moving across his shoulders. He immediately straightened his stance.

_The stakes are too high for me to lose._

"What are you doing?" he said sharply as soon as he felt her press her entire body against his back. She had invaded his privacy, and she knew better. Granted, he had snuck in on her in the shower a few times, but...well she just shouldn't have.

_The first thing she said to me before we fucked that first time was..._

"I'm washing your back of course. I could see you needed some help," she whispered into his ear in reply. Although his shoulders had stiffened instantaneously when she first touched him, she did not let up on her ministrations. When he finally realized she had no plans on leaving, he relaxed some in defeat.

_"I'm not Julia."_

"And I knew you would want some company since there aren't many bath toys to play with on the ship," she gave a small chuckle of laughter as she licked the edge of his ear slightly.

_And it wasn't until that moment that I remembered Julia. I hadn't even thought of Julia as I had pinned her to the side of her Redtail. Or as I had walked backwards down the halls still managing to keep our lips occupied with each other's bodies. Or as I had pressed her against her bed in her room, clothes left on the floor._

"Are you offering to be my toy for the shower?" he asked back teasingly. He felt her press a little harder with her fingers on his back, but other than that, she only gave a huff. It was hard to tell if she was offended or not from his question.

Water pounding down onto the tile floor filled the void of silence as they both waited. They were both very well aware to what the answer to that inquiry could entail. The problem of possession of the other was in question, and equal footing in their twisted games was at stake.

_Julia..._

"Think of it as a gift for the moment."

Spike gave a small grin to the wall knowing that Faye was most likely kicking herself for giving in, if even for a 'moment'. "And you know how much I love receiving presents."

A small laugh from him followed her barely audible grunt of displeasure.

_What I choose to do with Faye is not concerned at all with my past with Julia. She's dead._

"Well aren't you going to see your present then?" Displeasure evaporated quickly, replaced by usual smugness in her voice. Hands began to trail down from his shoulders, to wrap around the sides of his frame and slide down along his chest, the slick paths burning into his flesh despite the icy water.

He turned around in one fluid motion, her hands coming to rest upon his back once more with the movement. Simultaneously, he backed up towards the wall, pulling her against him, and under the water. Although some of the water had splashed upon her, she had yet to have been fully submerged under the flow; the tank top that had previously nearly been considered scandalous due to the heat, turned into downright wicked from the water.

Mischievous grins were shared between the two.

_She should be fully well aware of the fact that she's not Julia. And never will be._

She kissed the hollow of his neck as his hands instantly went to work on exploring his new… toy. The drenched barrier of cloth wrapping her most intimate parts in a transparent cocoon sent his visual senses into an aroused overdrive. Her barely veiled nakedness was enticing and its effect upon him quickly became apparent.

_I enjoy my intriguing tiger though - Just as she enjoys me._

His hands moved from the sides of her waist up her flat belly to rest underneath and cup the cloth covered breasts, thumbs quickly working upon the flesh found there to make her arousal obvious as well.

With renewed fire, Faye pressed herself against him, moving her hands from his shoulders, up the back of his neck locking her fingers in his dark wet curly hair. She used her new grip to pull his head down, forcing them into a frantic kiss, mouths searching the other for heightened pleasure.

_There's no farce; we're both fully well aware that we're using each other_.

"Spike." Faye's breathy voice between kisses managed to reach his ears despite the rushing water and the blood pounding in his head.

"What?" he grunted, capturing her lips again, desperate not to lose contact.

"Aren't…uh," his lips found a new target as he began nipping at the side of her neck, causing her to stumble over her words from pleasurable surprise. Her head dropped back, allowing him the access they both wanted him to have.

_Just toys._

"Aren't you going to…ah," she let out a small gasp as he continued his ministrations. "Unwrap your present?"

_Just pawns._

"No," he breathed against her skin, sending electricity through her.

"No?" She was confused by his response and desperate to have her clothes removed. The friction caused by the water, her drenched clothes, and his skin, was all becoming excruciating.

"No," he said with finality and all of a sudden his hands moved with lightening speed down her chest and disappeared underneath the waistband of her wet shorts, his fingers finding her core. "I want to have more fun with my bath toy."

She let out a small shrill cry, her eyes closing in rapture, Spike watched on with satisfaction as she lost herself within the pleasure he created for her, along with a small wince, as her nails tore a path down his back.

_I worry sometimes about the possible fallout from our course of action._

Faye felt his left hand move to the small of her back to help support her against his frame as she lost the ability to stand properly much less think coherently. His mouth assaulted her again wherever he could find access to skin.

And of course, she was fully well aware of where his right hand was occupied.

_As I said previously, her devious hands can land deadly blows when you're not looking._

"Spike," she breathed out repeatedly, her nails digging into his back, red marks and welts beginning to form despite the cold water hitting them.

"Yes," he whispered low into her ear. "my toy?" he added with a emphasizing twist of his fingers.

His response was further biting into his flesh on behalf of her nails.

_I'm not possessive of her. I swear._

"Looking for release my dear?" he drawled, momentarily stopping his movements.

"God's yes," she nearly purred, eyes lazily opening to greet his laughing eyes.

"Do I get to have you as a permanent bath time toy then?"

He saw the defiant flash in her eyes despite their hazed over appearance and that was all the answer he needed to the question meant purely for goading purposes.

_She's not Julia._

"The correct response would have been 'Always Spike, whatever you desire'. However, I'll be nice today."

Too aroused to care about his games, she pulled him down to her by his neck for a kiss.

"Just fuck me Spike."

_I'll always love…_

"With pleasure."

_But she's not…_

Her shorts were gone in an instant, leaving her naked from the waist down, and suddenly she found herself against the tile wall directly underneath the showerhead.

_Always…I'll always love…_

Finally, the sweltering temperatures they'd both had to endure the past few days found relief under cold water.

_This intriguing, deceptive, tricky, alluring creature… this woman…_

He thrust into her, unable to ignore his arousal any longer and desperately seeking release.

New red welts formed with his actions.

_Beware of her hands…_

In mere moments, the two heat exhausted ship mates were panting against each other, supporting the other, helping the other find pleasurable climax.

_They may deceive you into thinking that…_

With a small scream, Faye marked the end of their playtime in the shower, and both collapsed against the wall panting as the water quickly washed away any remnants of sweat that formed.

_False feelings are true._

"You didn't unwrap your present all the way Spike," Faye panted, managing a small coy grin. Spike lifted his head from her shoulder to look at her and gave a small shake of his head in bemusement.

"I suppose I should do that then. However…I think I've had enough of the shower."

_She's not…They're different. Completely different._

"There's plenty of other available options. The ship's empty."

_I'll always be in love with…_

"What about Jet and Ed?"

"Oh…I forgot." Faye gave a small bark of laughter. "The whole reason I came in here in the first place was to inform you that Jet and Ed left to fetch the part replacement for the cooling system."

"You're sure dependable at relaying messages, aren't you?" he said with a snort.

"Shut up lunkhead." She turned off the shower and then walked over to fetch towels from one of the storage compartments against the far wall, enjoying the fact that she knew Spike was gazing at her form as it sauntered away.

Pulling towels out, she threw one at him and then began peeling off her tank top to effectively dry herself off. Hands quickly covered her own though to stop her actions.

"Leave it on," he whispered from behind, kissing the side of her neck. "I still want to unwrap my generous gift."

She dropped her hands.

"Good answer. You got this one right compared to your earlier answer to my previous question – my toy," he drawled, attempting to provoke her again.

"And remind me as to what the answer was supposed to be?"

_I swear._

"Always, Faye. The answer was supposed to be always."

"I suggest you keep dreaming."

_Always._

* * *

Always Part I: Tiger Claws is based upon an original work taking place before episode 15. 

Three parts remain for the cowboy.


	2. Part II: Tiger Eyes

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Cowboy Bebop in any sense, and simply watch and write about it for my own pleasure and entertainment to hopefully bring the same to others.

Tiger Eyes

By Crystal Delphina

Completed: October 22, 2006

-- -- --

He gave a small smirk as he saw the victim of her bitterness sleeping next to a discarded black marker. Poor dog would be stuck with the hideous black brows until they got around to washing him later in the week - _If_ they got around to washing him later in the week. Washing the dog was typically last on the Bebop crew's list of priorities, and only rocketed to the top of the list when the stench became unbearable. And he could say with confidence that despite it being Faye's handiwork, it would be the hyperactive red haired girl that would be forced into cleaning up the mess.

He stepped past the vandalized canine to continue down the stairs of the den, loud thuds echoing in the room as his boots struck the metal of the stairs with each step. Ambling to the pale yellow couch that stood in the center of the room, he leaned over the back of it to peer down at the other occupant of the room. Sleeping beauty was stretched out on the musky couch, arms dangling over the armrest that her head was propped up on and feet trying to dig into the corner where the cushions met in attempts to keep out any chill. An opened six-pack of black permanent markers happened to be on the coffee table, one conveniently missing.

_I have a story for you._

"You didn't actually love that boring and pathetic bag of flab did you?" Disregarding the fact that she appeared to be sleeping, his deep voice filled the room.

Eyes remained shut as she responded simply with, "Why do you care?"

"I don't. I was just curious to know if you were so pathetic that you could only hook up with a loser like him," he answered with a snort.

_A story of a young girl who was placed into a deep sleep after a nearly fatal accident. A sleep that would last for fifty years. A sleep that would change her forever._

He was slightly surprised when she slowly opened her eyes and peered up at him through her dark eyelashes. Dark green pools, a darker green than he had even seen in hazes of passion, stared at him… no they looked past him, completely ignoring the man in front of her to dwell on the memory of another man. He was unsure of what he saw in the emerald depths and didn't particularly feel as if he really wanted to know. It unnerved him to think that he may be seeing raw emotions in the eyes of the usually jaded and apathetic young woman.

"He was all I had...," she said slowly, letting the words hang in the air. Time passed without another word from either of them, gazes locked and figures frozen in place. When it became apparent that he was unwilling to look away or leave her be, she pulled herself up and off the couch in one fluid movement. "He was the only one willing to care."

_The young girl awoke fifty years later to find that she was now a young woman in a much different world. And try as she might, the girl could not remember the world she had lived in before._

She walked towards the door leading to the main cabins of the ship. A small hiss accompanied its sliding open as she ducked down to make it through the low doorway. Before she could fully step through, she mumbled bitter words that were heard loud and clear by the other individual who still stood half way across the room.

"He was the only one that has ever seemed to care..."

And he was upon her in a split second. She was unclear as to whether he had run around the couch and coffee table, or had merely leapt over both, but either way his speed had been ungodly.

"Don't start throwing yourself a damn pity party. So you ran into your old boyfriend? So what?" he said harshly, managing to jerk her back into the den by her elbow and giving her a small shake. Fingers tightly dug into the soft flesh of her arm, and even after he had successfully halted her escape, the grip did not loosen.

"I could care less that I saw him you jackass!" she snapped, trying to break his hold on her by pulling her arm away. The movement proved useless as his grasp only tightened and he used her own momentum from struggling to pull her towards him. "What I _care_ about is that one of my few leads is once again a dead end!"

"What does it matter?"

Her eyes blazed in fury at his casual dismissal of her predicament, and she gave a small snarl when he shrugged his shoulders.

_She was not surrounded by loving friends and family in her home, but instead awoke in a cold sterile castle where an evil scientist and his assistant lived. They said the young woman owed them her life._

"Did you even bother to _hear_ that quack of a doctor? He fucking picked my name because he happened to like a song. Valentine is not even my own name! I have no clue who I really am! Everything I've ever done since I left that god-damned facility was working to pay off my debts and to figure out who I really am!"

Her fists were balled at her sides, ready to punch him if necessary, and she panted slightly from the exertion and frustration caused by shouting at the bane of her existence. He, however, stood there calmly observing her. Although she may have been too irate to notice, he caught site of the lone tear gathering at the corner of her right eye and threatening to spill down upon her cheek.

_In the castle, she met a prince who said she was a princess – a princess that he would save_.

"And so what," he said coolly. "you figure out what happened. What your name really is. What then? How does that change anything?"

Her glare only hardened as she spat out: "It changes everything."

"What does it change?" he repeated.

"I'll know of my family-"

"Who are all most likely dead," he interrupted smoothly.

"I'll know where my home was-"

"Amongst the ruins of a destroyed Earth from the Gate explosion."

"I may find a way to repay my debts-"

"Any money you find will go straight to the ponies. You won't change."

And Faye reached her breaking point with his sharp negations.

_The gallant prince turned out instead to be a toad that disappeared and left a curse upon the poor young woman. A curse she would never rid herself of no matter how hard she tried._

He avoided the punch aimed for the side of his head with ease, along with the white boot that tried to nail him in the stomach. She continued to blindly throw punches, unconcerned with her sloppy form but driven by her desire to hit _something_.

"You fucking jackass!! LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING!" she cried out, her vision beginning to rapidly blur due to tears. It wasn't until she tasted the salt upon her lips that she really grasped the fact that she was crying. She continued to attack her comrade regardless.

When her fist flung out again for what might have been his shoulder she found herself caught by him again. One arm wrapped tightly around her waist and back pinning her to him, as the other held the still clenched fist, almost as if they were about to dance.

"You can't change," he said calmly into her ear.

"LET ME GO!!" She struggled but he merely increased his grip around her.

"You shouldn't change who you are."

"STOP TELLING ME THIS! I NEED TO KNOW!" Her eyes were closed in attempt to keep any further tears at bay. She didn't want to cry. Not here. Not now. Not with him.

"We don't-" he paused, unsure of what he wanted to disclose to the resistant woman in his arms."...I don't want you to change. So stop it. You're acting like a child."

And all movement ceased.

When her form went limp against his own, he let the trapped hand go, and instead shifted his free hand to the middle of her back to hold her against him.

_The princess managed to escape the cold white castle eventually. However, she found herself alone again..._

Slowly...her hands came up to tentatively rest upon his shoulder blades as her head dropped to his chest. She could feel the soft cloth of his shirt against her cheek; smell sweat, musk, and his cologne mixed together in his own unique scent; she could hear his dull heart beat, muffled by the layers of muscles, skin and his shirt. She almost could allow herself a momentary feeling of safety and comfort in the arms of her – for lack of a better word - rival.

Although she made no sound, he felt what he assumed to be tears begin to accumulate upon his shirt and seek to reach his skin.

"You don't need to know what happened. It isn't necessary. And you're fine as the person you are now."

_The princess could not allow herself to trust anyone else from that point forward. The princess did not need a prince, just a way to remove the curse. So she joined forces with a traveling band of knights who were after their own treasures and goals. She fit right in._

He gradually let his hold on her diminish, until she finally decided to pull away from him, trying to ignore the fact that her face and eyes were most likely red and that his shirt had a rather large wet spot on the front of it now. Refusing to meet his eyes, she simply stared down at the metal floor of the ship. Unwilling to stand for that, he reached out and took hold of her chin, tipping it up to meet his gaze.

"Since you seem so damned concerned about this, I'll help." He smirked at her, but she showed no facial expression of gratitude nor detest. He frowned slightly at the neutrality, but continued anyways. "But, I still don't think you should care so deeply about your past."

His eyes flickered a dark brown in consideration of the situation. Finally, he leaned down and brushed his lips against her temple softly, and then down across her cheek, until he gave her a very soft and gentle kiss to her lips. It was tender affection he had never displayed for her, and made her breath hitch ever so slightly in surprise. He pulled away and dropped his hand from her chin, instead deciding to shove it in his pants pocket as he began walking towards the door, headed for the ship's interior.

_The princess and one knight in particular developed a peculiar relationship. They annoyed each other but ultimately, relied on each other in tight situations._

"Oh, and don't ever cry over a guy. They're not worth your tears. Especially not that loser," he laughed softly, deciding it was best to leave her to her own devices.

_But the princess had vowed to never trust anyone again._

"Not even you?"

_And the knight was not interested in a companion. He still had a dragon to defeat._

He turned to look towards the purple haired vixen, a feeling of mild surprise causing his eyebrows to rise slightly. Her tears had dried, and her eyes sparkled as she stood before him with her hand on her hip, and a coy smile in place. The old Faye had resumed confidant control again, and that mysterious raw emotion he feared earlier, was completely gone – or suppressed. He contemplated her question.

"Especially not me."

She made a clicking noise with her tongue and then sauntered right past him giving a small laugh.

"Good, because I wouldn't waste my time or my tears on you anyway lunkhead."

This caused him to grab his chest and double over in mock despair and pain. "I'm hurt Faye. You cry over that fucking Witney guy, but you wouldn't even shed a tear for me?" He promptly straightened himself. "Perfect, because I wouldn't want your lousy tears anyway you cheat," he teased with a rather smug grin.

_But sometimes I wonder…_

And as she walked through the doorway, in what seemed to be a moment of déjà vu, "Just don't do anything stupid enough that would give me a reason to cry Spike."

_If I should kill the dragon first…_

And the door finally slid shut with a deafening hiss in the silent room.

_Or try and release the princess from the curse._

But this time, he had made no attempt to stop her.

_But no…that's her story to complete. And I have my own story to finish. I don't have time to wake sleeping beauty._

* * *

Always Part II: Tiger Eyes is based upon Episode 15 of Cowboy Bebop: My Funny Valentine.

Two parts remain for the cowboy.


End file.
